Christianity and Racism

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Introduction

R.E COURSEWORK > RACISM A (I) WHAT IS RACISM? (II) EXPLAIN WHAT CHRISTIAN TEACHINGS MIGHT BE USED IN A DISCUSSION ABOUT RACISM 'Racism n; belief in superiority of a particular race; antagonism between different races; theory that human abilities etc are determined by race.' (Chambers, 1999) Racism is a result of biased and unscientific studies on racial and ethnic differences. Racism is the notion that some ethnic groups are naturally superior to others. Racism has existed since separate races came together. An American anthropologist Franz Boas tried to correct racist thinking by refusing to accept the superiority of any one group over another. Boas pointed out the natural human inclination to view as evidence of inferiority what are mere differences. One extreme example of Racist thinking is Adolf Hitler. Between 1939-1945 Hitler persecuted the Jews in Germany. Hitler thought the perfect German would have blonde hair, blue eyes, they would be tall, and heterosexual; this was his 'perfect race' Hitler set up concentration camps, in which would hold people who did not match up to the criteria of this one race. These concentration camps would exploit people; they were kept in hard labour until they were not needed. ...read more.

Middle

As against all forms of racial discrimination we maintain the fundamental equilibrium of all men and women. It is a sin to make a barrier out of ethnic differences. 'The whole world is run on bluff. No race, no nation, no man has the divine right to take advantage of others. Why allow another fellow to bluff you?' (Marcus Garvey, 1887-1940, Philosophy and Opinions, p. 7) Where there are such differences we learn from harsh experience the extent of the task of the re-unification that God has place on the shoulders of us all. 'I have a dream that my children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin, but by the content of their character.' (Martin Luther King JR. 1929-1968, Speech in Washington D.C. on completion of the Civil Rights March, -28 Aug. 1963) Christians respond to racism differently. Some choose to ignore it and shut it out of their lives. Others choose to fight back some physically, some verbally. People can be very patriotic and defensive of their country. They think highly of the land and its content including the traditions and cultures which present the countries individuality and independence. ...read more.

Conclusion

The experiment was to divide the class into two, one half with blue eyes and the other with brown eyes. From there the discrimination begun. At first the children with blue eyes were told they were superior to the children with brown eyes, the brown eyed children could not have such privileges as to play with the toys or drinking from the water fountain. The children with blue eyes soon believed that they were superior. The next day the teacher said she was mistaken and it was the children with brown eyes were superior. So both groups had felt what it was like to be discriminated against. At the end the teacher asked the children what it was like to be discriminated against, and what it was like to be superior. This experiment showed the Children that they should treat everyone equally and as individuals, not by the color of their skin. CONCLUSION I believe that racism is wrong. We are one human family. Its is our responsibility to continue the struggle for justice, and defeat xenophobia and hatred in the community. We must challenge not only the spreading of racism as an historical reality, but move to overcome it as a present actual reality which dehumanises both the victim and the perpetrator. The family is compelled sincerely to come together. ...read more.

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